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Monday, May 16, 2016

Selfie Etiquette

When it comes to technology, grandkids are the best teachers. One of our granddaughters truly excels at the selfie. She's given us quite a few tips and then made sure her grandfather got a selfie stick for Christmas. Of course that made my life a little more complicated because it increased his interest in taking selfies everywhere we went. While there is a bit of art to taking selfies there is also a bit of etiquette that should be observed especially in crowded tourist places.

It should go without saying that safety should come first. Balancing acts on the edge of the Grand Canyon are not a good idea no matter how neat the angle of the selfie might seem.

There is nothing more discouraging than to try to take a picture or video of something and suddenly a phone is raised in front of your camera at just the wrong moment. If the view is too crowded, try to find a corner or less crowded place to raise your smartphone in the air. And for heaven's sake, don't knock someone out with your selfie stick!

While tablets or iPads are wonderful tools, they are not the best vehicle for taking selfies. They are even more obtrusive to someone's view when you raise it in the air to capture the moment. Be aware of those around you and if you must use a tablet for a selfie, wait for a moment when it won't be obnoxious.

Make sure you know the rules for selfie sticks. There are some places like Disney that have banned them. Dodging strollers is difficult enough without having to duck under selfie sticks as well.

Don't be obsessive with selfies. Enjoy the views. Some pictures are better without a head in them. Disconnect for a while and you will see a lot more, learn a lot more, and have a quality experience. You can always post photos later rather than stand in front of everyone at a spectacular view and thumb a Facebook post.

And then there are some places where a selfie is just not appropriate. Some war memorials, places of tragedy or historically significant human suffering are not the appropriate place for a lighthearted selfie.

Well, common sense, respect for others, and just plain good manners should keep your selfies appropriate and fun without causing selfie rage in those around you.